Some 6,700 fair-goers attended the Washington County Fair Sunday, according to Bonnie Gill, secretary for the Washington County Fair Board.
Saturday's crowd was less than in 2011, while Sunday's numbers were higher than those last year.
"We're hoping for another yesterday (today)," Gill said Monday.
Article Photos
SHARON BOPP The Marietta Times
Jesse Woomer of Marietta, 9, presents his Reserve Champion chicken to the crowd at the Junior Fair Small Animal Sale at the Washington County Fair Monday.
Gill, who has served on the fair board 10 years, started coming to the fair as a child. She has fond memories of walking to her grandma's house across the street from the fairgrounds to take a rest and then return to the fair.
"My dad came for the harness racing," said Gill. "That was his thing."
The fair tradition continued with Gill's two daughters, now ages 22 and 17, who started showing lambs and dairy feeders through a 4-H Club at age nine.
Fact Box
If you go
Tuesday, Sept. 4
10 a.m. Junior Fair Horse Show.
4 to 11 p.m. Midway open.
6 p.m. Junior Fair Large Animal Sale.
7 p.m. Demolition Derby.
Despite rain Sunday evening, the Buckeye Rodeo continued without delays. However, the rodeo's clown did not perform at intermission and cut his second act due to weather and ground conditions.
"It was pouring the rain during (the rodeo's) barrel racing and bull riding events," said fair volunteer Aimee Wheeler of Marietta, 26.
Approximately 150 animals were auctioned during the Junior Fair Small Animal Sale Monday, which started at 3 p.m. Animals included chickens, turkeys, goats and rabbits.
As an attendee in the rabbit/poultry tent waved his fly swatter and waited for the sale to begin, flies bit back at fair-goers and a confused rooster crowed at the wrong time of day.
From her location in front of a fan at one of the tent's entrances, 4-H member Jocelynn Semon, of Waterford, 14, cooled her heels while preparing to present her six Cornish White Rock Cross chickens for auction.
Semon won fourth place overall in the competition and first place in class 7.
"We're so proud of her," said mom Pamela Semon, 45. "She was so close (to winning overall) this year."
Jocelynn started her 4-H market project in April. When she got her chickens in mid-July, they weighed one ounce each. Seven weeks later, they weighed nine to ten pounds.
Jocelynn's award-winning chickens were fed a high-protein show feed called "mash" and the occasional cooked egg yolks.
"The yolks put the meat on their bones so they're not just gaining fat and muscle," said Jocelynn Semon.
This is Jocelynn's fifth year showing at the Washington County Fair and her second year showing chickens.
"The chickens are absolutely adorable and it's easy to work with them," Jocelynn said.
For Lauryn Simpson,10, of Marietta, it's all about the rabbits.
"I like to show bunnies," Lauryn said. "I think it's a lot of fun."
Lauryn's Tort Lion Head rabbit, Justin, won this year's "Best of Breed" at the competition.
"He's named after Justin Bieber," noted Simpson.
Lauryn entered two rabbits in this year's competition, which she calls "bunny camp."
"I take them around and let them see all the other animals," said Simpson. "I told them 'If you don't win that's okay, as long as you do your best.'"
This year's Junior Fair Small Animal Sale was sponsored by Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Of course fair participants and fair-goers alike want to enjoy their fair food. Monday's offerings didn't disappoint.
In the fair's concession area, Brittany Cline of Dana's Delights in New Matamoras sold funnel cakes-traditional crowd pleasers-as well as fried Twinkies and fried Oreos. Two fried Twinkies sold for $3, while the fried Oreos sold five for $4.
Dana's Delights stocked up on six boxes of Twinkies and 12 packages of Oreos before the Washington County Fair began.
"The Oreos sell a lot better than the Twinkies," Cline said.
Over at the Mud Bogg, top sellers at the Hillbilly Proud stand included a $20 windshield sticker and $20 black T-shirt emblazoned with a white Hillbilly Proud logo.
"We also sell videos of the whole event," said concessioner Danielle Brice of Walker, W.Va., 23. The $15 videos typically catch five to six hours of mud-bogging action.
Tuesday's fair events will include the Junior Fair Horse Show, Junior Fair Large Animal Sale and Demolition Derby.
Gill said fair-goers are looking forward to Tuesday's Demolition Derby at 7 p.m. in the grandstands.
"For 40 years, the Demolition Derby has always been on Tuesdays because the cars tear up the track and lose car parts," said Gill. "Since it's a Tuesday, we don't have to hurry up and get the track cleaned up."
For a complete listing of Tuesday events, log on to www.washcountyfair.com
